Hipcycler

Feb. isn't even here yet and I'm starting to go stir crazy. I'm tiring of the same old 45 minutes on the trainer in my basement and I'm out of Tour de France highlight tapes to watch on TV while riding. How many times can I watch Lance ride into Paris!

AHHHHHHRRRRGGGG...I hate waiting for the melt of the snow and the return to the road. I try to think of that new Klein, my first real road bike, now on order from my LBS....and how wonderful it will all be to get back into the swing of riding outside for another season. But for now I've put on weight, grown bored with the trainer and am limited to reading BF and Velo News.com for a cycling fix.

You guys who are able to ride outside year-round go out there and crank on one and dedicate it to all of us who cannot do that for another two months!!!

Grasschopper

No doubt. The snow finally fell here and I haven't ridden outside in a couple of weeks. I got a new trainer but it is sooooo boaring, even if I watch TV while I am riding. I read that thread where the guy in NJ rides on his trainer for 1.5-2 hours a day and wonder how the hell he does it.

Come on spring.

royalflash

just get yourself an MTB with Nokian Extremes for the winter

Hipcycler

No can do....
With that hip replacement, the "BALL" part of the socket is ceramic and it can crack if I smack it just right. So falling really isn't an option. I've crashed on it twice off the bike and dodged a bullet each time. No winter sports....no mountain biking for me. I have to just wait for the road season to arrive.

bkbroil

I had a 20 year old MTN bike (Mongoose Hilltopper) and my Nokian Extremes are being delivered today (fingers crossed)...so I hope to be out there crunching through the snow tomorrow morning. I will think of you guys when I'm riding (and I'll push just a little harder knowing that I could be in your situation at any time if the weather gets any colder.)

I haven't ridden in almost a week and I'm going out of my mind...I was actually thinking of taking up running, just to get out and get some sort of excercise...but I'll wait to see how this MTN Bike works out....I can't wait till this snow melts so I can get back to going fast!

bikerski

nordic skiing is my salvation, specificaly skate style. uses the same main muscles as biking. Helps develop the upper body and core just enough, adds toughness without bulk. Skiing the American Berkibiner is the hardest thing I do each year. Harder than biking 200 miles in one day or multi day centuries.

powers2b

I am in Cleveland and have been riding all winter.
I get a great workout powering through unplowed streets on my fixed gear beater bike and the slow speeds assure a safe dismount if anything sudden happens.
I'm sure once you try it you will like it.
Enjoy

Pfoot

Did some snowshoeing on Sunday, which was fun, but not quite the same. Gonna go a long ride this saturday as long as it's not snowing (I can take the cold, I think).

More importantly, my wife and I are gonna spend two weeks in Hawaii in Feb! Major outdoor cycling planned.

Hipcycler: I get to Milwaukee every now and then for business. Maybe this spring/summer I'll get in touch and you can show me the good local rides.

rich007

I do 5-6 trainer rides weekly... They go for at least 60 minutes, with most of them btw 90-100 minutes, and a few (1-2 a week) for 120-140 minutes...

How do I do it???

- Training tapes (CTS Series): Despite being short I always do them at the end of an extended spinning (I also adjusted my intensity levels so I stay below 70-75% of my MHR, as I'm in base building stage)

- Movies: Whatever DVD I have on hand... Last time I watched Zatoichi..., or just plain TV sitcoms re-runs...

- Cycling Race DVDs: eBay is my source for used race DVDs... I have '03 Paris-Roubaix, '03 Tour of Flanders (just got those recently) and many more... I'm trying to get some old ones too, to deepen my respect for generations of cyclists gone by...

- Inner Motivation: Although this might sound a bit cheezy to our ADD-affected generation, I really find it easy to think about whatever hits my mind when on a trainer: Even visually imagining I'm outdoors, riding my favorite routes (Just close your eyes, might help)...

I have spent extended times climbing and trekking in Nepal, Tibet and India and have tons of pictures from there (I burned them on a DVD as a slide presentation) and I watch them while riding... It brings back my memories, I forget I'm on a trainer only to be reminded by my HR monitor to stay in the zone...

You guys might do something similar with pics (home-made movies) from your vacations, weddings, videos of playing with your kids, basically any fond memories you have and I'll guarantee you the boredom of a trainer will become a non -issue...

Listen to your favorite music with closed eyes, while riding... I mean whatever helps...

PS: This was my specific take on trainer riding but I do mix in some cross-training outdoors just to get some sun... Here in NYC my choices are limited to running...

Hipcycler

Pfoot...
Be glad to host you on my daily 26-mile route and show you the sights. You just let me know when you'll be around. Remember, pro bike races in my area in July to watch too!

bkbroil

BTW..."American Flyers" was on yesterday on ESPN Classic and "Breaking Away" is coming on this Sunday at 8pm (ESPN Classic channel also) -- there's a couple of movies that could be taped and watched while on the trainer....(Taped or TiVo'd -- what ever floats your boat)

geneman

Hipcycler ... to alleviate boredom, hit the gym. Alternate days on the trainer with days hitting weights (or maybe doing the stepmill). Works for me.

-mark

DXchulo

It's going to be over 40 degrees here today and it's century time for me.

I know that makes you feel better!

I agree with some of the other posts...you might try lifting or some other sport to keep your mind off of cycling until it gets warm. That will keep your mind fresh and eager to go when the warm finally gets here.

pjbaz

Word!

I have ridden to Breaking Away already this trainer season. I sprint when he races someone...I can hang fine until he races that damn trailer-truck.

I also watch mindless movies (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! last week) and I'm cruising through the Sex And the City series ( 2 episodes is about 50 minutes) on DVD.

I just bought the 4-hour 03 TDF and a friend gave me the 03 Giro so that's on tap now.

Good luck.

PJ

Pfoot

It's a deal. I dunno if I can coordinate with particular dates, but the 26 miles route sounds perfect. I'll be around in the before mid-summer, I'm sure.

I'll need to rent a bike.

Hipcycler

I'm good friends with the owner of a bike shop. Get me a size idea...or better yet I'd give you his e-mail info and you could arrange to use something I am sure. The hardest part is waiting for spring to finally get here.

Chad's Colnago

Fortunately we have had a break in the cold stuff here the last couple of days. Today it's supposed to get close to 60. Even if I don't get to leave early to go ride it's just nice to feel the warm sun on my face.

phantomcow2

one more problem is the salt they put on the roads here. In some areas the roads are actually white from it, and often it makes that slush which kicks up and does wonders and brings upon rust on our components.

SDS

Golly it's hot...NWS says it's 75F right now. Blue sky. Out the door in a minute....

Hipcycler

You know I hate you right now, don't you SDS?!

SDS

This would be about dead last on my shopping list, but I wonder if a recumbent trike with studded tires would meet your standards for safety and get you out.

Joe Pool Lake dam is about a mile from my house in a straight line, and that's 4 miles of road with a gate at both ends and no motorized traffic. In my most nutcase moments, I imagine myself out there in a streamliner trike recumbent in the early hours of the morning in the dead of winter (we don't have much of that) when nobody else is out, holding 40 mph (I have NO idea whether or not I can go that fast in an aerodynamic recumbent, which of course allows free rein to my imagination), toasty warm. Stereo, serious lights, etc.

I was doing okay by myself, but once my ultramarathon buddies finished warming up, they were doing 26 mph with the wind, and 21-23 mph against the wind. Help......you may have seen that I have been having knee trouble, which is about over with, but I have basically been off a bike since Thanksgiving. I'm getting a sort of rude reintroduction to cycling....25 weenie miles for me today.

el twe

What's snow?

halfspeed

I'll forgive that remark but only b/c you 'Trane as your avatar.

Pfoot

I ride a 56cm Trek 5000. I'll send you a private message with at least a few weeks notice b/f my next trip to Milwaukee. A big client for my biz is in Monomenee Falls, but I actually also use a Milwaukee law firm, so those two things will have me there b/f long. I'll be in touch in advance so I can speak to the LBS guy you know. Thanks! Looking forward to it.

EventServices

Who here suffers burnout in late August?
Be honest. Think back to the end of last summer. How many of you cut a ride or two short because you were sick of the bike??

Call me a splitter if you want, but I say it's perfectly OK to spend a month or two away from the bike altogether, especially in December and January. To me, it's a welcome break.

Here's the secret: Diversify.